“Lemme tell ya somethin’, ktherion.” Elara said, without looking up. “Regardless o’ whether it’d been one o’ your previous owners or no’, I can promise ya wouldn’ be leavin’ this tavern with anyone else unless ya wanted too. I think havin’ a guy with horns shadowin’ ya is cool.” She tacked on unnecessarily, as though she didn’t like getting that…whatever you’d call that, without humor. She finally found what she was looking for, and tossed a thick wallet and a gold pocket watch onto the table, grinning at Kieran. “Consider it yer paycheck.”
Kieran swallowed. She's going to promise me that? He shook his head slightly. No. Promises don't mean shit. Not anymore. He looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. "And who did you pickpocket this from?" He questioned. "Because I'm pretty sure that that isn't yours."
“Anythin’s yours if ya take it.” Elara said simply and unhelpfuly, her mismatched eyes sparking with a wickedly mischievous glee. “Man had a heavy as shit wallet, lemme tell ya. ‘M lucky I had so many items’n my pockets t’ swap it with.” She said, reaching out to grab the wallet and pull an ID from it. “This ankle o’ mine came in handy, wouldn’t ya say?”
Kieran shook his head, an odd look flashing across his face. "You know, i can't condone this behavior of yours." He said, but took the wallet. "Slaves aren't to be trusted with money; they'll run off with it, steal it." He hadn't even handled money before, much less had any.
"Lucky I don' give a shit." Elara said with a shrug, lifting up the pocket watch to study it, estimating it's worth. "I grew up stealin', ktherion. Tha's how we made our livin', 'cause it was the only thing left." Of course, her mother was an escort. But the woman had also done everything she could to keep her daughter from having to turn to that way of life.
Kieran shrugged. "Yes." He replied simply. "There were other options. But I do not think you would have wanted to do them." Prostitution, willingly selling yourself as a slave or bond servant… He shook his head slightly.
Elara shook her head, something flickering across her face for a moment. "Sure there were. Bu' as far as my ma was concerned, not for me. She knew what those other options were like, 'n' knew there was no way in hell she was lettin' me do any o' 'em. Tha's what she told me, at least." She pursed her lips, not removing her eyes from the pocket watch. One thousand mari at least, keeping in mind that the watch isn't solid gold. Otherwise, it would bend more. Extra five hundred for the small diamond that the hands come off of. Initials engraved on the back are common enough that they wouldn't affect the price much.
Kieran nodded. "I see." He said simply, wondering what had happened to this mother of hers, bjt knowing that it wasn't his place to ask. He also wondered how much longer they would be here, and if they would head back to sleep soon. He could handle it if they didn't, but he didn't want to. He wanted to sleep. Today had been a long one.
Elara set the pocket watch down, glancing to the kitchen doors and holding up three fingers, lowering one at a time as she counted. "Three…two…." On one, the doors to the kitchen opened, as Tia came out with multiple plates of food arranged on a tray.
"Food is here. Oh, dear." She set the tray down, frowning at Elara's ankle before turning to Kieran. "What did she do to her ankle?" Somehow, she was able to tell that Elara'a ankle was injured, and that the Princess would deny it being so if asked.
"She injured it earlier and refuses to take it easy." Kieran explained in as few words as possible. He looked at the food. His stomach growled softly, and he sighed. Really? Stop it. You aren't that hungry, you just smelled food.
"Why does that not surprise me." Tia complained, swatting at Elara with a wooden spoon. She never actually hit Elara with it, even as the girl ducked out of the way with a yelp, keeping her foot propped up. "Take better care of yourself! You are not a starving street urchin anymore, so you do not have any excuse. Now, eat, both of you." And with that, the older woman was gone, leaving a sulking Elara and the food on the table.
"Street urchin. Jus' 'cause it's true don' mean she's gotta say it." Elara grumbled, reaching out and snatching a plate of food from the tray, immediately going for the mashed potatoes.
Kieran started eating. His table manners were a bit sloppy, but he did his best. "She is trying to take care of you, your highness." He replied as he ate, directing his eyes down to the plate in front of him rather than at her.
Elara sighed, looking off at the band as she set her fork down. For some reason, she left her spoon on the table, even when she moved her plate to her lap. "Yeah, I know. There just ain' much reason too, an' she's got more important things t' focus on than some thief from two cities over. 'sides, I can take care o' myself jus' fine."
"Some thief?" Kieran questioned. "You are the princess, your highness, not just a thief." He kept eating. Keep on the safe topics. Don't talk about the past, hers or your own. Just…be careful.
"There was a time when I wasn't." Elara set her plate back on the table, the food not touched much, besides the mashed potatoes. It was worth noting, too, that there was no meat or fish on her plate at all. Just vegetables. "'Sides. I'm only a Princess in title."
Kieran nodded. "I know that." He replied. "But you are not a street urchin any longer." He told her, and kept eating. It was obvious that despite what he had said about not needing to eat a lot, he was eating quite a lot.
Elara just hummed in acknowledgement that he'd spoken, her eyes still on the band as she shoved both of her jackets into the duffel at her feet. Once that was done, she let her hair out of it's braid, running her fingers through it and shaking a few times, leaving it slightly messy. She returned to eating her food, pulling her gaze from the band to her ankle, eyeing it thoughtfully.
What is she planning? Kieran wondered. Probably something. Stealing wallets again? He sighed softly, and finished up his food, setting the fork and knife back down on the plate gently, careful that they didn't clatter or anything.
"Feel free t' finish whatever's on tha' tray." Elara said, motioning with her fork to the tray that still had a few more dishes. She set her plate back on the table, the food half eaten, though she seemed to have favored the mashed potatoes. Carefully, she lowered her leg, hissing through clenched teeth as she placed her foot on the ground and carefully pushed herself into a standing position. "Imma see if Flick'll let me have a go."
Kieran nodded, then looked at her carefully. "Do you want me to help you?" He asked, standing and looking at her carefully. "That ankle isn't in good shape, you shouldn't be walking on it." This is more than I've talked to a superior in…a long time. He realized. He blinked, and looked away.
Elara looked like she desperately wanted to turn down the offer, but after a long glance down at her ankle, she huffed a sigh. "If yer offerin'. Then I guess I wouldn' mind the assistance." She said, tugging a hand through her hair in what almost seemed like embarrassment at accepting the help.
Kieran nodded, walking over to her. "Would you like to lean on me, or would you like me to carry you?" He asked, looking down at her.
"Lean!" Elara blurted, her eyes going wide. "I mean-I'd rather lean against ya." She added, by way of explanation as she shook her head a bit too quickly.
Kieran nodded, and reached over and put her arm across his shoulders, then led her towards the band, going slow so that she wouldn't fall or something.
(Sorry for taking so long, i was at the theater watching Spiderman: Far From Home)
((It's totally cool dude, plus, bonus for watching a Spiderman movie))
Elara tightened her arm around Kieran's shoulders just slightly to make sure she didn't slip and fall, avoiding looking directly at him as he helped her. She waved as they neared the band just as the latest song drew to a close, and was met with grins and greetings in return. The man with the fiddle approached them, a goatee paired with sparkling blue eyes giving him a mischievous appearance.
"Well if it ain't my favorite little thief! How's life treating you now-a-days?" His eyes flickered over Kieran for a quick moment, his grin widening. "Well, it'd seem. So what can I do ya for tonight, babe?"
"No' like that, Flick, sorry." Elara said, shaking her head and stretching out her injured leg slightly. "I was hopin' ya'd let me have a go with ol' McKenna."
(yesss. Have you seen it?)
Kieran was quiet and still, supporting Elara easily. Why does everyone assume im her boyfriend or something? He wondered, raising an eyebrow very slightly. I'm not. In any way. I am only her guard. I don't understand why it's so hard for people to see that. He sighed softly, watching the exchange without comment.
((Not yet, sadly. My family doesn't go to the movies much, for lack of funds and time, but I'm looking forward to it hitting Netflix))
"Aww, you know she's always willing to go for a spin when you're at the wheel." Flick said, winking as he held out his fiddle to her. Elara let go of Kieran to take the instrument gently, her eyes lighting up. "Go work that magic, babe. Got some cash for a drink."
"Only for you, darlin'." Elara quipped, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a few folded bills. She handed them over, before shooting Kieran a wink as she shuffled towards the stage. "This is always the best part o' the night." She said, a smile lighting up her face as she pulled herself up onto the stage. She tucked her hair behind her ear and out of the way, tuning the fiddle for a moment.
(ah. I won't spoil it for you, then :) )
Kieran got out of the way, going to the side and watching them. She can play an instrument? That must be fun…i wonder how good she is. He folded his hands behind his back.
((Sksksk I'm a child of the internet, I already know more about the movie than I should. Feel free to pm me to rant about it if you'd like))
Elara's eyes flickered to the band as she rested the fiddle on her shoulder, placing her chin in the groove to keep it from slipping while she got situated. And then she started playing. The music started out fairly slow, gradually increasing in pace, liveliness, and difficulty, but Elara kept up easily, any and all tension leaving her shoulders. Simply put, she was amazing. It was like she had been born to play the instrument, manipulating the sound in ways that almost seemed like magic at times, and definitely magic enough to draw the crowds into the tavern into lively dancing as she laughed.
(lol alright. If I did, most of my rant would be about the FUCKING MIDSCENE AND FUCKING DISNEY AND SONY BREAKING FUCKING UP please pardon my language, I'm very pissed about this XD )
Kieran felt a small smile flicker across his face as he listened to her play. She was… really good. He took a deep breath, eyes flickering around the room. The look on his face was a little strange; as if he were watching people experience and do something he had never done. Which he sort of was, since the emotions filling the room were nothing he had really experienced before.
